New Delhi: In a significant political development, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on Sunday its fifth list of candidates for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This latest release includes 111 names, bringing a mix of seasoned politicians and new faces from various fields, including the entertainment industry.
Highlighting the list is Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, who has been chosen to contest from the Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Joining her from the world of cinema is actor Arun Govil, famed for his portrayal of Lord Rama in the television series Ramayan, now set to run from the Meerut Lok Sabha seat.
The BJP has also placed its trust in Sita Soren from Dumka and industrialist-turned-politician Naveen Jindal from Kurukshetra. Veteran party members like Ravi Shankar Prasad and Union Minister Giriraj Singh are slated to represent Patna Sahib and Begusarai, respectively.
Other notable candidates include D Purandeswari from Rajahmundry, Raj Bhushan Nishad from Muzaffarpur, and Ram Kripal Yadav from Patliputra. The party has shown confidence in Nityanand Rai from Ujiarpur, Jagadish Shettar from Belgaum, K Sudhakaran from Chikkaballapur, Dharmendra Pradhan from Sambalpur, Pratap Sarangi from Balasore, Sambit Patra from Puri, and Aparajita Sarangi from Bhubaneswar.
In a strategic move, the BJP has revised its ticket allocations, replacing Union Minister Ashwini Choubey with Mithilesh Tiwari for the Buxar seat. Similarly, tickets for Chhedi Paswan and Ajay Nishad have been withdrawn, with Shivesh Ram and a new candidate to be announced for Muzaffarpur.
The fifth list showcases a diverse representation with 19 candidates from West Bengal, 18 from Odisha, and 17 from Bihar. Uttar Pradesh will see 13 BJP candidates, while Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat will each have 6 representatives. The party has also allocated candidates across Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, Sikkim, Mizoram, and Goa.
Previously, the BJP had released four other lists, starting with 195 candidates on March 2. However, controversies led to the withdrawal of Bhojpuri singer and actor Pawan Singh and Upendra Rawat. The subsequent lists were announced on March 13, 21, and 22, totaling 401 candidates for the elections scheduled between April and May.
The 18th Lok Sabha elections are set to commence on April 19, with voting occurring in seven phases until June 1. The nation eagerly awaits the results, which will be counted on June 4, marking a pivotal moment in India’s democratic journey.
